NPC Characteristics

NPCs can be so dry and bland when they come up and you aren't prepared for them. Other NPCs often times only have the stats rolled up and their personalities are neglected. That is where a list of simple characteristics can come in handy and you can stereotype the NPC and at least give them some kind of quirk that defines them a little better. Nobody may remember the innkeeper at that one city, but they may very well remember the innkeeper that picked his nose right before he gave the players their change. Just some little things to define the NPCs and make them more real. Some can be used by players as well to spice up their character a little.

Verbal Mannerisms

Keeps unsuccessfully trying to make jokes about dead animals.

Curses often and apologizes each time.

Comes close and puts their hands on those they talk to.

Flips a coin and checks how it lands before answering questions.

Answers every question with another question, thinking they're clever.

Loses track of the conversation as if bored.

Doesn't understand anything explained to them.

Puts out his hand for some coin if any question is asked.

Uses odd expletives, such as "Spoon!"

Agrees with anything the players say.

Has conversations with themself.

Makes odd random noises.

Has a catch phrase that makes no sense, like "Ice cream can!" or "Oranges don't dance."

Carves small vegetables with remarkable skill into people, animals, and things, then smashes and eats them.

Pops nuts or small fruits off their bicep to catch them in their mouth.

Always manages to be eating some type of pie.

Enjoys eating raw onions.

Drinks only water.

Item-Related Quirks

Offers to buy any material on the players. Belt, pouch, weapon, offers money for everything.

Wants to be bribed by an addition to their unusual collection, like odd hats or the big toes of unusual creatures.

Has inside of coat full of trinkets and small jewelry for sale.

Keeps slaves on a chain behind them

Tends to put or keep things up their nose.

Has a spoon they keep in their mouth and treats like a pipe.

Has a small corner of a printed circut board for an earring; swears it's some kind of shale and an old family heirloom.

Has a cloak kept closed with a strip of wool and split burr shells.

Has found something valuable, and asks if you lost it, but will start to raise doubts should you agree.

Has some black market goods for sale.

Very interested in an item on the PC, looking to get one of their own.

Has a wooden staff that he is constantly rubbing or using to lean on.

Has magic beans given to him by his mother.

Social Quirks

Acts insane around people he doens't like.

Acts insane around strangers.

Acts like a drooling idiot for unknown reasons.

Has an eye for one of the players and leads all conversation towards that.

Knows everybody of 'inconsequence' and is constantly interrupted by saying hi to people.

Is a secret follower of some god/cult/organisation, that is not in the the least way secret

Is very interested in a previous NPC that he PC has met. Possibly because they owe him money.

Does not like physical contact with others

Instantly hates a person for no good reason and knows it.

Irritatingly modest, even about things that he/she had nothing to do with.

Becomes noticeably angry for no reason (Could be used as a red herring in mystery-solving adventures)

Knows some nice ladies that would love to meet you...

Asks about contacts or people to see in different cities.

Is constantly running schemes past people

Punchs/kicks people for small mistakes

Asks random people if they are willing to be a sacrifice for an obscure deity

Promises revenge for all evil done to him by others

Loves animals more than people.

Hopes, Plans, and Dreams

Plans to write a book about the inevitable fall of this civilisation.

Wants a pet ooze/slime

Wishes to purchase some farm land and retire.

Incessantly fantasizes about marriage and married life. Possibly with some severe misconceptions.

Peculiar Talents

Expert rat catcher, even in the middle of conversations will jump or chase a rat if he sees it.

Can predict the weather with perfect accuracy.

Has a talent for finding wild potatoes and can cook them like nothing you have ever tasted.

Sharp-eyed, seems to notice everything that happens around

Claims to be able to Detect Lies.

Has a supernatural talent, but tries to hide it and get rid of it

Is/was a master of some bizzare local sport

Looking to learn a talent that the PC has. Willing to pay for it.

Loves to invent and tell spooky stories, anytime.

Merchant minded and always looking for a new angle.

Constantly makes reference to things which seem random at the time but which later turn out that he could never have known because they hadn't happened yet (e.g. is humming the main theme from an opera the day before its premiere, talks about King John when the current reigning monarch is King Fred who later that day abdicates in favour of his younger brother, John)

Has mystical ability of communicating with drunks, meaningfully

Other Quirks

Has a cat that always follows and comes when he calls.

Has a hairless pet that they dress up and fawn over.

Is oblivious to the fact they're indecently exposed.

IS an illegitimate child of someone important (maybe even a king or god)

Collects hair from everybody he meets. Has braids tied all over himself from hair he has "borrowed."

Writes everything down into a little notebook.

Has just paid the taxes or a loan, and complains everywhere on the terrible rates, that this is practically thievery, etc.

An up-and-coming activist, wants to change some obscure and little used law for even more obscure reasons. And you could help!

Is an escaped prisoner, in stolen clothes, and looks for a place to hide.

Did not want this life, but got no chance, and will complain about it

Carries a wand. Doesn't do anything with it, but he is always fidgeting with it. When asked about it he will grunt out incoherencies and change the subject.

Is wearing a costume of some ancient hero, and tries to play him/her to the smallest detail.

Immersed into a new fascinating philosophy involving meditating in trance, tea rituals, etc.

Orienteering-disabled, has a hard time to navigate own village or town, cannot show way to any place.

Is legitimately paranoid, because some one or thing is really after them.

Always seen sitting in the same place. He is never seen anywhere else

Is only short but somehow dominates the room. Maybe it's the piercing eyes

Does everything with a flourish.

Non-stop fresh and full of energy

Additional Ideas (1)

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I've seen many lists like this one before, but that doesn't mean that they are not necessary. The only suggestion I can offer is to take the same characteristics again and reorganize them in a different section of the sub. Perhaps group them into categories like physical vs mannerisms, or gross vs irrititating vs charming vs disturbing etc. That way it would be easier to use such a large list if you're looking for something specific, rather than relying on a dice roll for a random characteristic. Not that the dice roll method is bad -- it just doesn't help me find something that fits an NPC concept I already have.

The headings are nice, so game systems publish whole books of character generation tables (Traveller...I am looking at you). These tables must fill some innate need gamers have to let dice rolls describe the universe.

Well done, I could see this expanded by quite a bit. I would have a hard time taking most of these NPCs seriously (nose picker, pimple squeezer, indecent exposure, drooling idiot, egg sucker, etc.) and a few I would be almost afraid of (notebook guy, pet ooze, dummy recruiter, licks walls, etc.). I find this list both fascinates me and disturbs me about the locals in your fantasy world.